Jeans, once a weekend-only staple, have become ubiquitous for dates, dinners, and even the workplace. And the dressed-up-denim styles typically don't come cheap — at $150-$200 a pair (or even more for super-coveted brands like Acne), fashion-conscious denim lovers have been stretching their budgets to buy premium brands. Now, at $60 a pair, Gap's new 1969 Premium Jeans Collection gives denim devotees a recession-friendly option.

"I want 1969 to be its own brand," Patrick Robinson, Gap's EVP of Design, said at an event Wednesday introducing the collection at the store's Fifth Avenue location in New York. Gap 1969 (named for the store's debut year) offers six classic styles of denim, from the "Always Skinny" to the "Curvy Trouser." Authentic details can be found throughout — one pair has cute buttons at the ankle, another skinny style zips open to become a bootleg. The washes may change from season to season, but core styles will always be available.

Each season also will include a more fashion-forward jean, in order to keep the Gap relevant — something Robinson values. This summer, the fashion jean at the Gap is the über-popular slouchy, rolled-up boyfriend jean. And next season? "Well, here's a sneak peek," Robinson confided. "The next fashion jean might be the workwear jean." When pressed for details, Robinson confessed, "I don't know — I haven't even designed them yet!"

Robinson assures us that, no matter your shape, you'll find pair in the 1969 collection that makes your butt look great. "People demand to look like rock stars in their jeans, and this is about giving people what they want," Robinson says. "Look around this room — everyone is shaped differently. There is a style of jeans in the 1969 line that fits every one of them."